The present invention relates generally to a manner by which to improve the page response time of a mobile station, such as a mobile station operable in a GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) cellular communication system. More particularly, the present invention relates to apparatus, and an associated method, for a radio communication system, such as the GSM system, to facilitate changeover of the mode of operation of the mobile station out of a packet mode, and into a circuit-switched mode, when a circuit-switched call is to be terminated at the mobile station. A packet paging request message is generated for transmission to the mobile station. The packet paging request message includes a time-allocation during which the mobile station is to return a response message upon a RaCH (Random access Channel).
The use of wireless communication systems by which to communicate telephonically has achieved wide popularity in recent years. Telephonic communication, by way of various types of wireless communication systems, permits the communication of both voice and nonvoice data between sending and receiving stations of such communication systems.
As a wireline connection is not required to effectuate communication in a wireless communication system, improved mobility of communications in a wireless communication system, relative to communication by way of conventional wireline communication systems, is inherently possible. Because a wireless connection is formed, a wireline connection conventionally otherwise required in a wireline system is obviated, and movement of communication stations operable in a wireless communication system is, as a result, not limited by the need for a wireline connection.
A cellular communication system is exemplary of a wireless communication system which has achieved high levels of utilization. A cellular communication system is a multi-user communication system permitting large numbers of subscribers, i.e., users, to communicate telephonically through the use of mobile stations operable in such cellular communication systems.
Various types of cellular communication systems have been developed and implemented throughout large geographical areas. Some cellular communication systems permit the communication of non-real time messages, such as packet-formatted messages forming alphanumeric text. The GSM (Global System for Mobile communications) cellular communication system which provides for GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) messaging is exemplary of a system which permits the communication of non-real time messages. Two-way communication of packet data messages is provided in such a system. For instance, a packet data message originated at a communication station coupled to the network infrastructure of the GPRS/GSM system is communicated to the mobile station by way of the radio link formed therebetween. And, a packet data message originated at the mobile station is analogously communicated by the mobile station upon the radio link.
Conventional, circuit-switched communications are also effectuable in the GSM communication system. Circuit-switched calls can also be originated at either the mobile station or at a communication station coupled to the network infrastructure. For instance, a circuit-switched call originated at a communication station coupled to the network infrastructure is also effectuated by way a radio link formed with the mobile station. A protocol set forth in the specification of the GSM system sets forth a manner by which a call, originated at the network, is to be terminated at the mobile station. Namely, a paging signal is first sent to the mobile station to alert the mobile station of the call to be terminated thereat. And, subsequent exchange of signals results in the allocation of channels to permit thereafter the effectuation of the circuit-switched call
Various facets of operation of a mobile station operable to communicate both packet-formatted data and circuit-switched communications differ depending upon which type of communications are effectuated with the mobile station. When the mobile station is being operated to communicate packet-formatted data, the mobile station is sometimes referred to as being in a packet mode of operation. And, when the mobile station is operated pursuant to a circuit-switched call, the mobile station is sometimes referred to as being in a circuit-switched mode.
When, for instance, the mobile station is in the packet mode, and a circuit-switched call is to be terminated at the mobile station, the mobile station must exit the packet mode, and thereafter enter the circuit-switched mode, prior to effectuation of the circuit-switched call.
Conventionally, when the mobile station is in the packet mode and a page is detected at the mobile station of a circuit-switched call to be terminated thereat, the mobile station must first suspend its operation in the packet mode in order to respond to the page, thereafter to permit a circuit-switched the page, the mobile station conventionally returns a request for a channel assignment. Upon detection at the network of the request for the channel assignment, the network assigns an uplink channel and sends an indication of the assignment to the mobile station. The mobile station then utilizes the allocated channel to send a packet suspend message back to the network.
This multi-step procedure is both time and resource consumptive. If a manner could be provided by which better to facilitate reassignment of the operational mode of the mobile station out of the packet mode and into the circuit-switched mode, improved system performance would result.
It is in light of this background information related to communications in a cellular, or other radio, communication system that the significant improvements of the present invention have evolved.
The present invention, accordingly, advantageously provides a manner for improving the page response time of a mobile station operable alternately in a packet mode and in a circuit-switched mode.
Through operation of an embodiment of the present invention, when the mobile station is operated in the packet mode and a page is transmitted thereto to alert the mobile station of a pending circuit-switched call, the amount of time required to changeover the mode of operation of the mobile station into the circuit-switched mode is reduced relative to conventional manners by which changeover is effectuated. By improving the page response time of the mobile station, improved communication system functioning is possible as the time required to changeover the mode of operation of the mobile station and thereafter effectuate circuit-switched communication is reduced.
In one aspect of the present invention, apparatus, and an associated method, is provided to facilitate the changeover of the mode of operation of the mobile station out of a packet mode, and into a circuit-switched mode, when a circuit-switched call is to be terminated at the mobile station.
In another aspect of the present invention, apparatus, and an associated method, is provided for the network infrastructure of the cellular, or other radio, communication system. When a circuit-switched call is to be terminated at a mobile station, the mobile station is first paged to alert the mobile station of the pending circuit-switched call. Through operation of an embodiment of the present invention, the page is formatted to include a time allocation, allocating a time period during which the mobile station is to reply to the page. When the page is detected at the mobile station, the mobile station utilizes the time period allocation contained therein to determine when a reply to the page is to be returned to the network infrastructure.
In an exemplary implementation in which the radio communication system is formed of a GSM cellular communication system, the page generated by the network infrastructure forms a packet paging request which includes a RRBP1 (Relative Reserved Block Period) field. The time period allocated to the mobile station to reply to the page is contained in the RRBP1 field. Allocation of the time period is allocated by an allocator which forms a portion of the network infrastructure, and indications of the allocated time period are inserted into the RRBP1 field during formatting of the page request. Once the page is formed, the page is transmitted upon a radio link to the mobile station to be detected thereat.
In another aspect of the present invention, apparatus, and an associated method, is provided for the mobile station operable in the cellular, or other radio, communication system. Through operation of an embodiment of the present invention, the mobile station detects the page transmitted thereto to alert the mobile station of the pendency of the circuit-switched call. When the mobile station is being operated in the packet mode when the page is detected, the mobile station must be changed over to the circuit-switched mode to permit the effectuation of the circuit-switched call. The time period allocation is extracted from the page and indications of the extracted information are used to select when a response is made to the page.
In an exemplary implementation in which the mobile station forms a GSM mobile station and the radio communication system comprises a GSM cellular communication system, the page transmitted to the mobile station to alert the mobile station of the circuit-switched call forms a packet paging request. The packet paging request includes a RRBP1 (Relative Reserved Block Period) field which contains the time allocation information. An extractor extracts from packet paging request the time allocation information from the RRBP1 field of the message. Indications of the extracted information are provided to a packet channel request message generator. The packet channel request generator generates a packet channel request message for transmission during the time periods allocated in the RRBP1 field of the packet paging request and extracted therefrom by the extractor. The packet channel request message is an inherent packet suspend request to be transmitted to the network infrastructure. Such transmission forms a mobile-originated suspend message. The message is transmitted upon a Random access Channel (RaCH). A random access channel inherently permits random access thereto resulting, generally, in uncertainties in the availability of the channel pursuant to the page response and suspend message timing. By allocating time periods upon which to return the page response message to the network infrastructure, the uncertainties associated with utilizing the random access channel are reduced.
In these and other aspects, therefore, apparatus, and an associated method, is provided for the network infrastructure of a radio communication system having a mobile station with which communications are effectuable by way of a radio link. The mobile station is operable in a first communication mode and a second communication mode. Reassignment of the mobile station out of the first communication mode and into the second communication mode is facilitated. An allocator is coupled to receive indications of communications to be effectuated with the mobile station necessitating operation of the mobile station in the second communication mode. The allocator allocates a time period during which the mobile station is to generate a page response message. A page request message generator is coupled to receive the indications of communications to be effectuated with the mobile station and indications of the time period allocated by the allocator. The page request message generator generates a page request message for communication to the mobile station. The page request message includes the indications of the time period allocated by the allocator.
In these and other aspects, apparatus, and an associated method, is also provided for a mobile station operable in a radio communication system having network infrastructure with which communications are effectuable by way of a radio link. The mobile station is operable in a first communication mode and a second communication mode. Reassignment of the mobile station out of the first communication mode and into the second communication mode is facilitated. A page request message detector is coupled to receive indications of a page request message communicated to the mobile station by the network infrastructure. The page request message detector detects reception of the page request message at the mobile station. A time-period-allocation extractor is coupled to the page request message detector. The time-period-allocation extractor extracts from the indications of the page request message values representative of a time period allocated to the mobile station during which to respond with a page response message. A page response message generator generates the page response message during the time period identified by the time period extracted by the time-period-allocation extractor.
A more complete appreciation of the present invention and the scope thereof can be obtained from the accompanying drawings which are briefly summarized below, the following detailed description of the presently-preferred embodiments of the invention, and the appended claims.